Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am very glad we seem to have a changed situation. This morning my understanding was that the Bill would not be moving on to Committee Stage and I do not know what changed in that regard. I listened to what Deputy Harty said. I know there was a fairly extensive discussion at the committee and there can be different views on how what went through. However, there was not an absence of debate, and Deputy O'Connell can refer to that as well. For whatever reason, I welcome that Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil seem to have changed their view on the merits of the Bill going to Committee Stage. I am glad it will. Whatever one's view, it is a very complex, technical and difficult issue and the parties need to present their detailed alternatives and to have an open legislative process. As Deputy Gino Kenny acknowledges, there are flaws in the Bill and he is not clinging on to the structure or any particular wording. In some ways, it provides the House with the opportunity to do something innovative, and while it is complex, difficult and challenging, I believe it is something we should aim to do. We would support that step, as we have at each stage.

I want to refer to two issues. We have heard the evidence on one side while Professor Michael Barnes is on the other side, and I am glad he is coming here next week to address the medical case. I refer to the inquiry report from the all-party parliamentary group for drug policy reform in the House of Commons which was published recently. I refer to it because my Green Party colleague, Caroline Lucas, was one of the main authors of this significant report. To give some context, the report by Professor Michael Barnes and Dr. Jennifer Barnes was based on a literature search producing over 20,000 references and the evidence was graded according to the system used by the American Academy of Neurology. While I do not dispute that Deputy Harty and others have medical views, this is the sort of thing we need to tease out on Committee Stage, given this report suggests there are 20,000 references to medical cannabis having effects in regard to pain management and moderate evidence in regard to its use in treating sleep disorders, appetite stimulation and in cases of chemotherapy, fibromyalgia and so on. That was the report that influenced me, partly because it comes from my Green Party colleagues.

As I understand it from listening to Deputy Harty, the other argument is there is a concern this would lead to the effective decriminalisation by the back door. That probably will not come into this Bill, which is specific in its intention around medicinal use. From our party's perspective, however, that is also a debate we should be having. Our current system, which is based on a criminalisation process in regard to the possession or use of cannabis, is not effective, is not working and, in fact, is forcing people into the criminal system. It would be far better to have a health-centred approach which does not look to criminalise someone if they are using but looks to help them. Where that has been introduced in countries like Portugal and Australia, it seems to have resulted in lower use, although the evidence on this needs to be teased out. It may be able to protect the vulnerable who we do not want using it, such as younger people, but we may be able to get away from this incredibly expensive and punitive criminal system which is not stopping supply but is just letting the criminal underworld run it. It is far better for us to do that in a safe, medically tested way rather than through the current system.

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